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Florida in the Civil War

Confederate soldiers at Pensacola, 1861. Courtesy

Library of Congress.

“By Land and Sea: Florida in the American Civil War” is a new temporary exhibition to open in September 2015 in the Richard and Pat Johnson Palm Beach County History Museum in the restored 1916 Court House in downtown West Palm Beach in commemoration of the Sesquicentennial of the War of Succession, commonly known as the Civil War (1861-1865). Exhibit is open from Spetember 8, 2015-July 2, 2016.

Visitors to the exhibition will be immersed in the history of the role of Florida and Floridians during the

The 54th Massachusetts Infantry at the Battle of Olustee. Courtesy Florida State Archive.

War Between the States. The “sparks of secession” will examine the political flaws of the young American Republic that lead to the bloody conflict including the study of institutionalized slavery. “Struggles of secession” will examine the battles, blockades, and the strategies of both North and South. “Sacrifices of secession” will concentrate on the home front and how the war affected the lives of citizens and soldiers alike and how Florida supplied the Confederacy with vital supplies, including salt, beef cattle, and goods smuggled in past the Union blockaders. Throughout the exhibition the visitor will learn about people, including Confederates, Unionists, and former slaves who escaped their bondage with the help of the Union and how they joined the fight; how Florida contributed to the Confederacy; and the high costs of war and freedom.